Good afternoon. Welcome back to Beyond High School.

National data from the 2025 school year showed the rate of students who are sticking with college ticked up.

The National Student Clearinghouse numbers reveal that of the nearly 2.62 million students who entered college in fall 2024 nationwide, 77.1% were still enrolled in fall 2025. That’s a slight increase from 76.8% the year before.

Most students —  69.1% —  stayed at the school they entered in the fall. Another 8% of those students stuck with college but transferred to another school.

In Colorado, about 73% of students stayed in college in 2025. 

However, Colorado colleges and universities are outperforming other states in keeping students ages 20 and younger enrolled, with 82.6% of those students sticking with college into their second year. 

Those numbers drop for older students. Just half of 21- to 24-year-old students stick with college. And about two out of every 5 students over 24 stay into their second year. Both figures fall below the national average.

The state has tried to attract more older students to college, and the numbers underscore the challenges of keeping them enrolled.

Thank you for reading. Feedback? Comments? Questions? Reach me at [email protected].

Local education coverage is disappearing. Chalkbeat helps families and educators understand what’s changing. We can’t do it without you.

This college rodeo team is mostly women. Here’s why that matters for rural men. — Colorado Mesa University’s rodeo team represents an extreme example of an underexamined trend: fewer rural men are attending four-year colleges.

Find out how much Colorado college tuition and fees have increased over the years — Despite the rising cost of tuition and fees, many Colorado students never pay full sticker price.

Colorado receives funding to bring back the FAFSA completion tracker — Six months after state budget cuts left Colorado high school counselors without access to a financial aid application tracking tool, the state is poised to get it back.

What it means when a Colorado college is designated a Basic Needs Campus or a Thriving Institution — Colorado has several designations that establish statewide standards for colleges and universities.

University of Northern Colorado College of Osteopathic Medicine opens this month in Greeley, Greeley Tribune

Colorado Mountain College creates guaranteed transfer pathway to Colorado School of Mines, Glenwood Springs Post Independent

As college graduates fret over finding jobs, a record shortage of workers is projected, The Hechinger Report

House hearing puts med schools in DEI hot seat, Inside Higher Ed